Evaluating Coaching-Based Mentor Training for STEM Students
A brief coaching-based training helped high school mentors improve their communication, regulate their emotions under stress, and feel more confident in their own STEM knowledge.
Source
A Coaching-Based Training for Underrepresented Mentors in STEM
What they did
Researchers evaluated the experiences of 23 participants in a high school STEM program that ran for four weeks. Early in the program, these students completed a 3 h training focused on coaching and communication techniques. They subsequently applied these skills as near-peer mentors at a youth STEM camp, and at the program's conclusion, 19 of them participated in 30 min interviews about their experiences.
What they found
The qualitative analysis revealed that the coaching training significantly improved the high school mentors' communication skills, specifically helping them ask open-ended questions and avoid judgmental language. Mentors also developed emotional regulation strategies, such as deep breathing, to handle stressful behavioral issues with younger campers. Finally, teaching others helped the mentors recognize and feel more confident in their own STEM knowledge, reinforcing their identity as leaders.
The limits
What it doesn't show
The study is limited by its small, highly specific sample size of high school participants who acted simultaneously as mentors and mentees, which may introduce bias toward coaching methods. Additionally, the qualitative, self-reported nature of the data means researchers could not objectively measure actual mentoring behavior or long-term academic retention. Finally, because the program took place over a brief summer session, the study cannot establish whether these benefits persist into the students' future academic or professional careers.
Key terms
- Near-peer mentorship
- A mentoring relationship where a student who is slightly more advanced in their education provides academic or social support to less experienced learners.
- Appreciative Coaching Framework
- A holistic student success model that guides coaches through multiple developmental phases—including Disarm, Discover, and Design—to empower individuals to achieve their goals.
- Disarm phase
- The initial step in the Appreciative Coaching Framework focused on creating a safe, welcoming, and non-judgmental environment for the mentee.
- Active listening
- A communication technique that requires the listener to fully concentrate, understand, respond, and remember what is being said.
- Self-efficacy
- An individual's belief in their own capability to execute behaviors necessary to produce specific performance attainments.
Flashcards
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Quiz yourself
In the UK START Program, what dual role do the high school START Apprentices play within the program pipeline?
Common questions
Why did the training encourage mentors to avoid 'why' questions?
'Why' questions can often sound defensive or judgmental to mentees, making them feel like they need to justify themselves. The training taught mentors to use 'what' or 'how' questions instead, which encourages collaborative problem-solving.
What unexpected benefits did the mentors report from the training?
In addition to communication skills, mentors reported gaining emotional regulation strategies. They learned how to maintain their composure and use techniques like deep breathing to handle stressful behavioral situations with young campers.
How did mentoring younger children affect the high schoolers' own STEM confidence?
Mentoring served as a powerful tool for self-efficacy. By explaining scientific concepts and troubleshooting robotics activities for campers, the high schoolers realized how much STEM knowledge they already possessed, boosting their academic confidence.
What challenges did the mentors face during the program?
Some mentors found it difficult to engage older middle school students and felt they needed age-specific training. Others were surprised by the service-learning camp requirement, having expected to spend the entire four weeks working in research labs.
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